Our favourite road next, along the estuary to Morlaix. Then Mike found us a lovely quiet farm road east. This did result in a bit of hassle from farm dogs, more bark than bite though. Through a typical landscape of globe artichokes and stone cottages, to a welcoming campsite at Begard.
The camp manager lets us use their computer to access our emails.
Following the well marked cycle route to Guingamp, next morning, we meet the local equivalent of our cycle group, circumnavigating a roundabout 3 times, with much gesticulating & chat, before deciding on the right route. We consume a lunch of baguette and brie beside a disused lead mine (guess who chose that spot?) Another quiet road takes on to today's destination of St Brieuc, in warm sunshine. Our host here, Julie, dishes up delicious Moules with all the trimmings, followed by local beaufort cheese. Julie belongs to a cycle group that is trying to draw attention to the lack of provision for safe cycling in their town.
The next day we join her on a demonstration as part of a large group of cyclists, of all ages, pedalling round the town centre, disrupting the traffic, to promote some awareness of cycling difficulties-such fun! We also find time to visit the large Saturday Market and purchase some Beaufort cheese. Julie kindly accompanies us as far as the edge of town to put us onto the road around the Bay. All the oysters, crabs etc on the overflowing market stalls had been harvested here.
The route to our next campsite at Taden takes in the beautiful beech and oak forest of St Aubin, and finishes on a dedicated cycle path along the wide Dinan estuary.Most of the caravans on the pitches around us have Jersey number plates.
Our journey east next day becomes increasingly hilly and very hot. At one high spot there is an amazing view of Mont St Michel. We wind through farm lanes linking charming stone villages, each with their own massive church. There are red and pink roses everywhere, heavy with blossom. The GPS is taking us to the home of Gerald and Janet, at the very end of a tiny lane shared with a farm. Their sunny terrace overlooks fields of white Charolais cows and new calfs. We eat outdoors wafted by the perfume of stocks and roses. G and J are tandem cyclists with a wealth of knowledge about local cycle routes and set off with us next morning along a disused railway line, north. Just after we said our goodbyes, it stared to rain and we had to negotiate a section being tarmaced. We left the track at Sauderville to buy some provisions just as the church clock struck 12, and found the supermarket closed! To add to our woes reaccessing the track required carrying the bikes up 24 steep steps. However, soon the rain stopped as the trail lead us a gentle route, avoiding lots of hills, and a red squirrel hopped out from some beech trees.
We left the track at Vire to head NE into the Suisse-Normande. Whizzing down a hill at about 35 mph, a deer leapt out from the forest alongside us, and just managed to clear my front wheel. I hadn't even time to touch the brakes.
Total miles so far in France 292
